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Original poster

i feel really awful about this (car seats)

63 replies

FairyTaleinNewYork · 26/12/2005 22:29

i have recently found out that the 2 car seats i have for dd1+2 are basically on the list which which? advise arent used as they did so badly. i feel dreadful that the seats we have been using are so awful. i am know looking at replacing the seats altho one is less than 6months old. i just cant risk it. am i being irrational? am i mad?

OP posts:
vitomum · 27/12/2005 13:48

Fairytale i have the Brittax first class SI. it has been reviewed in the from birth seats. it was at number 14. But taht is it in its rear facing setting. i use it in its forward facing setting and they don;t assess it for that.

LIZS · 28/12/2005 13:49

The Which ? report seemed to dislike many of the 9 months-11 years booster style seats (ie which use an adult belt to restrain child) or those which convert from harness to using adult belt -all those in the "seats to avoid from 9kg" are one of the above, I think. I wonder if it is as much because they are disapproving of using an adult belt alone before a certain weight/age (think the recommendation is about 18kgs according to the report on which the new law is going to be based) but it doesn't differentiate between older toddlers/children and babies who may use the same style of seat.

The manufacturers seem to take little notice of these reports, which is a shame, but the findings do vary from one report to another - Which? to AA Ncap for example - so it is pretty confusing for all concerned. Don't blame yourself if you acted upon what was best at the time. btw has anyone found any safety test results for the Jane Indy yet ?

daisiesinaline · 28/12/2005 14:11

Now I am panicking! Couldn't open up link. I have a Club Class Extra Britax car seat. Is that a good one or not?

LIZS · 28/12/2005 14:23

They don't do the Club Class Extra any more so not listed specifically. It has been replaced by First Class which scored ok for all but protection in a front impact, although which way around the seat was tested is unclear since it was included in the first stage (0kg +) category.

hth

daisiesinaline · 28/12/2005 14:27

thanks for replying. x

MrsFogi · 28/12/2005 14:58

If you have one that's on the don't buy list you could try calling the relevant company's customer service and have a really good complain at them for selling something that only meets minimum standards etc etc to see if they will make any sort of goodwill gesture towards the replacement you are going to "have" to buy.

vickiyumyum · 28/12/2005 15:05

omg! no wonder that mamas and papas have withdrawn the navetta carrycot from sale 10% that truly is appalling.

thnaks for the article though, i now know which car seats to buy for ds2 and the new baby.

i would def consider buying a new car seat if yours was one of the ones to avoid. personally i wouldn't get the britax kid as the headrest was very constrictive and ds2 who is 3 hated being so surrounded by the wings. i have been looking at the maxi cosi rodi for him, but at the timwe didn't have enough cash on me to get it, so left it, we have the graco junior plus which will be going in the bin tomorrow after i have dragged dh to mothercare world to buy ds2 a maxi cosi rodi.

anchovies · 28/12/2005 15:13

Does anyone know whether the Jane carrycot (not the matrix) is as bad as the m&p navetta?

Am geting the cosytot isofix for ds2 from babycaredirect (£125 about £50 cheaper than everywhere else) despite having a Jane rebel that didn't do too badly as I never feel like it's fitted properly.

LIZS · 28/12/2005 15:18

Jane Rebel is listed as 9th out if the 15 listed with a 55% "score".

vickiyumyum · 28/12/2005 15:24

i'm not sure that i am happy that i pay all this money for a childs car seat to find out that at the best of the ratings it is still only 70%! any thoughts?

LIZS · 28/12/2005 15:52

I suppose it depends what it woudl have to achieve to warrant 100% and whether that is ever going to be realistic. The 15kg + seats, all of which restrain the child's body and seat with the adult belt score equally average for the front impact test - does this imply that that style of seat is averagely ok in which case, since there is no alternative, means that none are likely to achieve 100%. Also what is easy for one person to fit a particular car, may not be the same for another person, in another car or even another position in the same car, so the score is subjective.

mrspink27 · 02/01/2006 11:29

does anyone which isofix seats are best, dh is very keen to change our britax trio now... (never liked that seat anyway.... mumble mumble!) and he thinks an isofix is better. She'll probably need a 2/3 category.... i'm happy to get the maxi cosi rodi xp... any
thoughts?

edam · 02/01/2006 11:34

Which? is one of the founders of EuroNCAP, the organisation which does car crash tests. So there shouldn't be any difference between their results and the AA's... unless they are testing different models, or testing at different times and the manufacturers have changed their products in the interim. I'm working there tomorrow and will ask one of the car experts about this.

mrspink27 · 02/01/2006 11:42

thanks edam!

edam · 02/01/2006 11:56

LizS, AFAIK, the Which? tests (and I assume all EuroNCAP tests) are performed with the car seats correctly fitted as per manufacturer's instructions, in a car which the manufacturer says the car fits. So the tests aren't subjective in terms of fitting.

edam · 02/01/2006 11:57

Btw, I'm not an expert on W? child seat crash tests, I just work there occassionally so know a bit about how they do their tests.

mrspink27 · 02/01/2006 21:48

anyone any idea about the Jane Indy Plus Isofix Car Seat ? still cant find any group 2 and 3 isofix rated seats?

LIZS · 03/01/2006 09:33

afaik the Indy Plus is the only stage 2 and 3 isofix seat available in UK atm and it wasn't included in the Which? test. Am now confused by it as had considered it for dd who is around 13kg but the manufacturer's site says from 15kg.

Nemo, what I was trying to say ( not well admittedly!) was that I wonder if the testers are used to fitting them correctly but that doesn't mean the average person in the street has the same experience. It is fact while many may well technically fit in a particular car it is often done incorrectly. Some seats have more than one way of installing but I'm unclear as to whether all the variations are tested, or if those which can be (and are perhaps therefore more practical for some families on a day to day basis) are penalised if one way works better than another.

LIZS · 03/01/2006 09:34

Sorry mean edam not nemo

leggymamba · 03/01/2006 09:59

I wonder if any of the tests were done with the dummy's arms out of the straps! No matter how tightly I do the straps up and number of threats/stickers promised dd can always get arms out. Thought the style using car seatbelt was the answer - not sure now.

morningpaper · 03/01/2006 10:16

I really wouldn't worry TOO much - none of the seats got a 'don't buy' and ALL are many many times safer than NOT using a seat or NOT using a seatbelt.

zephyrcat · 03/01/2006 10:48

Bugger dd's seat is on the don't buy list Not sure what ds's seat is called but I hate it and have been looking for a reason to make dp get rid of it.

I'm wondering about the Britax Rock-a-tot deluxe now as I've still got ours from dd and ds and was planning to use it for number 3.....maybe not?

Caligyulea · 03/01/2006 11:15

Bugger, I can't see any of the links, for some reason.

This is a constant paranoid worry of mine

LIZS · 03/01/2006 11:52

zephyrcat - why not reuse it ? Just because it has been superseded by the Cosytot(?) doesn't make it intrinsically any less safe. Chances are it is essentially the same shell with few cosmetic modifications. These reports come out every year after all.

zephyrcat · 03/01/2006 11:56

Was it on the list? I must have missed it - as long it's ok I'm happy to reuse it. DD is going to need a new one though... she's got a Britax Ranger which has a big black mark next to it on the list!